"The Tutor" is a thriller featuring Garrett Hedlund, an actor who typically garners a spectrum of audience reactions. Hedlund's inclusion in this underwhelming film leads to questions about his choice of roles. Victoria Justice, who shines as Annie, Ethan's expectant partner, is another enigmatic presence in the movie. Both actors' talents seem sorely misplaced in this venture.
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Jordan Ross directs "The Tutor" with a script provided by Ryan King. The screenplay, unfortunately, seems to lack depth and coherence. This suggests the need for substantial reworking, or perhaps even a total rewrite. The film initiates its narrative with a low-angled perspective of a grand mansion's gates. It swiftly transitions into a montage of Hedlund's character, Ethan, managing a group of arrogant children from privileged backgrounds. Despite the challenges, Ethan characterized as a shrewd individual, manages to hold his ground against his bratty students.
Ethan is a vinyl aficionado about to start a family with Annie. The couple's choice to avoid a religious ceremony for their union is a fact that the film repeatedly emphasizes. It sparks speculation about a potential hidden narrative source, possibly dating back to the early 20th century. As the plot progresses, Ethan is presented with an enticing opportunity by a colleague. The opportunity is to tutor a child in Long Island with a handsome daily payout.
The child in question, Jackson, played by "Stranger Things" star Noah Schnapp, is a peculiar character with a seemingly inexplicable knowledge of Ethan's life. The unconventional tutoring arrangement, along with Jackson's character, begins to raise red flags from the onset.
The story takes a turn when Ethan finds images of himself and Annie on Jackson's computer. In any standard narrative, this would have triggered Ethan to report the incident and make a quick exit. But in "The Tutor," Ethan remains in the situation, encounters more dubious characters, faces baseless criminal accusations, and even loses his job. Simultaneously, Ethan's past unfurls, revealing his deep-seated issues and an unexpected link with Jackson.
Ethan undergoes significant character transformation, altering the perception of his peers and challenging the initial portrayal presented to the audience. However, the attempts at plot twists, seemingly inspired by the works of renowned filmmakers Alfred Hitchcock and Claude Chabrol, lack believability and fail to captivate the audience.
A contributing factor to the film's letdown is Ross's uninspired direction. An early scene involving a convex mirror, potentially hinting at symbolic character dynamics like those in Joseph Losey’s "The Servant", falls flat due to its lack of meaningful implications. Furthermore, the transition of Hedlund's character from a composed tutor to a broken man offers little satisfaction to the audience for their time investment. Despite a compelling cast, "The Tutor" leaves the audience underwhelmed and desiring more.
